Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes

I don’t even have words to describe how delicious this is. From Taste of Home. I let all the mixtures sit in the fridge overnight and made the crepes for breakfast.

Ingredients

Batter:

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. milk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tsp. butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Filling:

• 1 cup (8 oz) Mascarpone cheese
• 2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
• 3-4 tsp. minced fresh basil
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Topping:

• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• dash salt
• 4 tsp. butter, divided

Directions

1. In a blender, combine the batter ingredients; cover and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a small bowl combine the cheese, confectioners sugar, basil, and lemon juice. Gently fold in strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. For topping, in a small bowl combine the strawberries, sugar, orange juice, extract, and salt.
4. Let stand for 30 minutes.
5. Melt 1 tsp. butter in an 8-in. nonstick skillet over medium heat; pour about 1/4 cup batter into the center of the skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed.
6. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels between them.
7. Spoon filling into crepes; roll up. Serve with strawberry topping.

Banana Bread

This recipe came from one  of my co-workers; it is the best banana bread i have ever had and never dry. Picture shows  mini-muffins topped with chocolate peanut butter glaze.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter (softened)
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Mix first 4 ingredients together and set aside.
2. Bream together sugar and butter. Add in the eggs and milk and blend until smooth.
3. Mix the flour and mashed banana into the butter mixture a little at a time alternating dry and wet ingredients. Blend well.
4. Mix in nuts if you want them.
5. Put batter in a lightly greased loaf pan (8x4x2). Bake at 350F for 60-65 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. (For mini-muffins I cooked 12 minutes.)

Makes 1 loaf or 40 mini-muffins.

 

Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic

The combination of the savory and sweet is amazing in this recipe.  I love using apples with meat.  Based off of this recipe. This also works very well with pork.

Ingredients

• 5 cups chopped peeled Braeburn apple (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• cooking spray
• 8 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), skinned
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• chopped parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475F.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients.   Add 1/4 tsp. salt; toss well to coat.   Spread mixture in a pan coated with cooking spray.
3. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper and spread garlic on top.  Arrange on top of apple mixture.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until chicken is done and apple is tender.

Glazed Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberries

Original recipe can be found here. I made these for my sister’s graduation party, and they didn’t last very long. You can also use raspberry jam combined with 1 tsp. cornstarch in place of the pastry filling. Makes one dozen cupcakes.

Cupcakes Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 1 Tbsp. lemon extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 cup raspberry pastry filling

Ganache & Garnish Ingredients

• 3 squares (1 oz each) white baking chocolate, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. plain non-fat yogurt
• 1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
• 12 fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Put liners in cupcake pan and set aside.
2. Combine sugar and oil, whisk well. Add zest, yogurt, milk, and extract; whisk until blended.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, mix well. Sift into wet ingredients and whisk until blended.
4. Whisk egg whites with a fork until foamy, fold into batter.
5. Scoop batter into liners as evenly in possible.
6. Using a small scoop, scoop filling onto centers of cupcakes; push in gently with the back of the scoop.
7. Bake 15-17 minutes or until tops spring back lightly when pressed.
8. Let cool 5 minutes then remove from pan.
9. For ganache, place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Microwave on high 45-60 seconds until almost melted, stir until smooth.
10. Stir in yogurt and extract.
11. Dip tops of cupcakes into ganache. Garnish with raspberries.

Roasted Pineapple

From The Best of Fine Cooking: Roasting.  My favorite way to serve this is with vanilla bean ice cream, and maybe a wafer cookie.  The combination of flavors, temperatures, and textures combine like the pieces of a fine symphony.

Ingredients

• 1 large, ripe pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400F.
2. Slice each pineapple quarter lengthwise into 4 strips.
3. Put the strips on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.  Brush with some of the melted butter and sprinkle with half the brown sugar.
4. Roast the strips for 10 minutes and turn them over with tongs.
5. Brush with more butter and top with the remaining brown sugar.  Bake until the juices are bubbling in the pan and the pineapple is light gold, another 5-10 minutes.
6. Set the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool.